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Patented Sept.' 12, 1922.,

` s SHEETS-:Heh x.

3. REECE.

VRMBLE SPEED TRANSMISSION. Mmc/mora F|LEDmAn,11,19zo. 1,428,660.

J. REECE.

`VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION.

APPLICATIDN FILED MAR. ll. 1920.

e 0 M al? J;

J. REECE.

VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. l, 1920.

Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

,werZ/ovr Jkneece,

l www men.

L HEECE. VARIABLE SPEED TRANSWSSIUN.

APPLICATKUN FILED MARY ll, 1920.

'.Patemlwd Sept M9 W22.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

k//Mywni I. REECE.

VARIABLE SPEED TRANsI/usslow.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. II, 1920.

Patented Sept. l2? w22.,

5 sHEI'zTs-s'HEl-:T 5.l

. from the left of Fig. 3, of the members 27,

50, 49, 48 and 47, the first mentioned shown in section.

Fig. 4 is aright elevation partly inseetion on the line 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 3, with the cover plate removed Vto show the interior parts. y

Fig. 5 is a similar right elevation 'insection on the line 5 5 of F ig.'V 3. v ig. 6 is a similar right elevation insection'on they line 6-6 'of Fig. 3.

partly partly lFigqis a similar elevation in section on "the line 7-7 of Fig. 3:01' Fig.` 8.

Fig.` 8 is atopplan 'view ofthe rotary piston portion of the liquid escapement mechanism shown in the previous figures.

F ig. 9 isa` sectional view taken on the line 9-'9 of Fig. 7.

- FigflO isa sectional view taken on the line 10-` -10 'of Fig. 8.

'Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, there are shown'horizontal frame parts 12 of a motor vehicle. The engine .shaft 13 is provided with' a fly-Wheel '14,which, however, is a hollow structure containing mechanism pertaining to this iinvention, the saine being enclosed by means of a removable cover plate 15, which is extended rearwardly sufliciently to yaccommodate the interior mechanism.

The driving parts of the mechanisn'i comprise the elements 13, 14 and 15, already mentioned, with which may be included a pair of studs or pins 16, interiorly mounted at opposite sides of the cover plate, as seen in Figs. 3 land 4.

The ldescribed elements 13'to 16 are con-V stantly rotated by the engine when the latteris in operation, and at the same speed asthe engine, which may be uniform under certain conditions, but variable at will or by automatic adjustment under certain changes of condition.

v`The driven member: is shown in the form y'of a shaft 17 arranged in alignment with 55.

the engine shaft. Mounted rigidly to rotate With'the shaft 17 is an arm 1S, through Vwhich the rotative force iscommunicated to the shaft.

At the forward end of the shaft 17 are bearing devices 19.

'Having Adescribed the driving elements andthe driven elements, I will next describe certain connections extending from the driving elements to what may be termed an in-` termediate rotating element, and later the connections from the latter to the driven shaft.

Upon one of the two studs 16 is a rotary gear 20, and upon the other is a similar gear 21. Each of these gears not only rotates about its center or stud 16, but also revolves with the driving parts about the axis of the apparatus, having thus a sort of a planetating motion. They will rotate in unison, and their speeds will be quite high, due to the usual high speed of automobile engines.

Each of the planetating gears 2O and 21 carries at its periphery a centrifugal weight 22, secured bybolt upon the gear, and, as seen in Fig. 4, the two weights are correspondingly arranged, so that their actions will be in unison. In passing it may be explained that the centrifugal force of each weight 22 has a tendeney to first forcibly advance, and then forcibly retard, the gear which it carries, as it passes around from one side to the opposite side.

A central gear 24 axially mounted and loosely. snrrouinlingl the driven shaft enboth the gears 2() and 2l. The gear 24 may be considered as one part of the intermediate element of the apl'iaratus, :and the energy of the driving parts is communieated to this vgear through the peripherally weighted planetating gears 2() and 21. before mentioned. The transmitted motion is not uniform, but consists of aerelerated motion, as the centrifugal weights move outward, and retarded motion as they are moved inwardly. '.l`hrough a pin 25 the eentral `ear Z-l is connected to the flange o.' a hub 26, turning loosely on the driven sha ft, and ythis hub and fiange are extended rear- `ward andV enlarged, thereby constituting a eylil'ulriral sleeve 27, the }L urpose and operation of which will be later'desi-ribed. .\s

seen in Figs. 3 and i', the hollow sleeve or.

cylinder 2i' has at one side a protrndine enlargement or extension, which. as n ill later appeal', constitutes a sort of rotating piston taking part in certain hydraulie eon trol action. lhe desvribed elements lll lo 23 turn rigidly together, and muy be ecn- Sidered as the internualiate element ol' the ap aaratus.

he connection to the driven shaft is bv a strong coil spring 30, one end ol. whirh is secured to the pin L5, before mentioned, and the other-.end to a pin 31, mounted in the arm 13 of the driven shaft. 'lhis spring forms a resilient connection in the nature of a reservoir, since the rotation of the intermediate parts puts the spring under tension. thus storing energy, which is transmittal `and drawn from the spring by the driven shaft, as the latter turns. The spring should be strong, .yet of suliieient length so that several turns are possible, sinee in working at a heavy load the torque or rotary llo matinee torce to be transmitted to the driven shalt will be tar greater than when the motor ear is running light or on level ground.

I have now described iin succession the driving parts, `the driven parts, the connections from the driving parts to the intermediate element, the intermediate element, and the resilient connection troni the latter to the driven element or shalt.

lt is clear that, but orthe centrifugal weights 22, no rotation would be delivered from the driving to the intermediate element, as the planetary gears 'would simply turn idly by their engagement with the central gear. The action ot the centrifugal weights alters this condition, since the 'weights give alternate acrelerations and retardations in the planetary gears, and therefore in the central gear. rlhe action, however, is not positive or predetern'iined, but may be described as non-positive or yielding in nature. The intermediate elementthus has this yielding connection :troni the d riving parts, and also the resilient or storspring connecting` it with the driven parts. By the Present invention the action ol the yielding connections :trom the driving to the intermediate part is controlled, so as to give the desired transmitting results. This control is herein el'l'ected by n'ieans et the intermediate element, and more partic ularly the cylinder or sleeve 27 thereof, already described.

The rotary piston 28 travels around in the annular space between the (.Vylindrical sleeve 27, which carries the piston, and a stationary cylinder 33, coneentirically out side the sleeve. This annular space, and :indeed all adjacent and connecting spaces within the apparatus, are siflpposed to be lilled with a suital'ile tluid, [Aire'terably a liquid, ,such as oil, capzid'ile ol" active iliow. Thus, the piston travel around within 'the cylinder :forces the oil ahead. ol' it to :tlow through the channels later to be ilescribed. ln order that the ,liow may not simply be coinp'lett-ily around the annular space between the sleeve and cyliinler, the latter ia lnfovided at its `topniost and lowerniost points with senil-cylindrical extensions or barrels, 3a and 35 respectively, and in each oit these is nroi'inted a gate or pass 47, as 'will be described.. The rear end `oill both olf' the casing extensions 34: and 35 is closed by an annular disk 3G, secured thereto by bolts 37.

`l`hese described parts 85 to Eli are stationary in character, and niay be so held by the following niountings. Extending rcnirwardly troni the dish 3G a cylindrical web 38, provided with. upper and lower oil apertures 39, and connecting with a second dish' or flange 4l() Ytorined on a sleeve il-l., which loosely surrounds theI driven shal't.

rangement the entire series ol' described elements 33 to l5 is held stationary against rotation.

llhe revolving passes or gates i7 are seen. in Fig. Y in their opposite positions, the upper one adjusted to permit the piston 28 to "pass in the direction ol the arrow, and the lower one set reversely so as to occupy the annular channel and prevent oil :dow cir cuniiferentially. Each of the revolving members l? is mounted rotatively in the c sing extension 35, and is automatically :rotated in a slow nianner so as to assume in turn the positions shown, in harmony with the movements oi the piston. l*1 or the purpose o't'eitecting these rotary movements, the lett end ot each revolving gate 4.17 :is provided with a stud lil near its periphery. These two studs 4.8, d8, thereilfore, are :in the nature olf cranks. Their relation is seen in le'lt view in Fig. 3u. They" may both be driven by a combined connecting` rod and eccentric strap 4:9, which extends rigidly from one stud 48 to the other, and in its center siiirrounds eccentric 50, mounted on a portion ot the rotary sleeve 94T, which is one part olli the intern'iediate element oli the inechanisin. its the intermediate parts rotate, the crault e0 carries the member 49 circularly, and thereby shirts both et the revolving gates 4:7, so that each will perini.; the passing ol the piston, and at other times oceujiy and close the annular space in which the piston adiuinees.

rllhe oil tiow trein the space in trent et the .advancing pieton Qt is toward the inte rior through the rotary sleeve 2l" and a ported sleeve I'il, Yiti'iul within the sleeve 223i'. As seenv in Figs. (3 and i". the port sleeve has a port 54; in advance ot the piston, and outside and tto-operating' with this is a port 55 in the sleeve 2T. Dependingon whether the ports are arranged to give a i'ree passage ilior the oil, the oil willV ilow inwardly through the ports to the `interior slpiace 58, 'which is occupied bythe reservoirspring30, the driven shalt, ete. '.lhe oil, thus forced lroni the annular piston 'path inwardly through the ports just mentioned, is caused to How outwardly troni the interior space through. port 5G at the opposite side et the port sleeve, and a cooperating port 5l' in the piston sleeve E27. lilach ot the ports mentioned runs substantially the tull length, of' its sleeve, so that, when the port-s are ton, andtherefore may, for convenience, be

termedpya port piston. lheny this iS-preSSed forwardly, thatis inl the direction of rot-ation of the piston 4sleeve-Q7, 'it will open the f gports, and when moving relatively rearward, it will close them. f Y

The piston QS'is built Witha cylindrical outer wall, as best seen in Figs. 8 and 10, and front and rear side walls. -The front side ywall60 is in lfact hollow, to forni a sort ot box or flat casing,- and the port actuating piston or bar 59 travels within this part ot the main piston. VThe space 6l with- Ainthe box portion 60 ot the piston `is occupied by a lcrosspinfZ, seeFigs. 7 'and 9,

-V Aserving as a stop for the movement of the port piston 59. Beneath the stop pin 62 is seen 1an opening or passage t3, formed in the port sleeve 53 and leading into the interior space 58.

l,to flow into and from the main piston, pei'- mits the toand fro adjusting .movements ot' the interior or portcontrolling piston. A ssprring 65 may be'used, ltending always to pull the port piston' 59backwardly, that is,

troni thestop pin 62, and this action may be facilitated or ensured at all times by a slight leakage in the interior piston or between it andthe main piston.

Also within the mainpiston, and serving incidentally as a stop for the backward movements of the interior piston, is a cylindrical member (56, which is rotatively mounted and constructed to serve as a circular valve, and also as a passage yby which oil may passtrom in frontot the main piston into the space (il thereof tocause the shifting adjustmentof the port piston. Figs. 8 to 10, in conjunction with Fig. 7, show the construction action thereof. The `circular 'valve' 6G is lfitted Within the Ftransverse body portion of the main piston. This body 'portion is provided with a longitudinal opening 68 at its fiont'side for the admission ot' oil under pressure,`and a similar opening 69 at'its. rear side. The cylindricalrvalveGthas a large port 70 at "ones'ide, and asm'all or narrow one 71 at the opposite side. These ports communicate with an inteiior vlongitudinal passage 72, extending to the forward end of the circular valve, where the latter is provided with a series ot small exitbpenmgs 73, so that` the oil flowing The oil, thus being permitted non-rotative.

through the circular' valve may pass into the interior 61 of the box-like portion (3() oi the main iston.

Various adjustments of the circular valve will give various results. As shown in Figs. 9 and l0, oil is permitted to ilow into the valve and thence into the casing (50, so asv to press forwardly on the port piston 59 and adjust it to open the main orts. It the cylindrical valve be turned s ightly to the lett from the position shown in Fig. l0, this will open athrough passage from port G8 to port69, thus shoit-eircuiting the oil flow and` preventing any adjustment of the main ports. lf the adjustment be continued still further to thele'ft, both ports (3S and (S9 will be closed.

It will be obvious that line adjustment ot the valve 66 will enablethe ports therein to be opened more or less, and thus determine lthe rate ol flow of oil through the interior of the main piston, and thereby the position of the port sleeve and the rate ot flow of oil through the system.

In order to turn tliecylindrieal valve (3G,

it is indicated in Figs. S and 9 as having a. peripheral cam groove 75, engaged by a pin 7G. The pin 76, shown in Fig. Il, is carried by a slide 77, which may he moved longitudinally to shift the iin, and thereby rotate the valve. The slide 77 is formed rigidly with a ring'78 loosely surrounding the groove in a ianged sleeve 79, which is The sleeve is mounted loose.- ly directly around the driven shalt ,17 and extends rearwi-rdly to an exterior point, where it is provided with opposite pins Su, through which the sleeve may be shil'ted axially to shitt the slide 77, and thereby turn the valve. The pins 80 are engaged by a forked lever Sl, tulcrulned at S15, and having a pedal extension S25, which may lie depressed against the resistance ol' a spring 8l to adjust the. valve GG at will to its dilferent positions.

ln Figs. 3 and 5 are seen, attached at the top and bottom o'l'A the stationary elements '3S and AIl), a, pair oi' projecting plates or scoops SG, jlor'the purpose ot diverting any oil which may be whirling cireuinferentially within the cover plate l5 and causing such oil to tlow readily inward through the apertures 39 and thence into the interior space 58, thus ensuring that the interior system is maintained 'lull of oil.

In operation the hydraulic parts ot the apparatus, including the liquid or oil itself and the rotary piston 28 with which it cooperates, constitute in etlect a hydraulic pawl and ratchet. They operate in certain adjustments, including tliatindicated in the figures, to freely permit rotation in one direction and to lock the intermediate parts against rotation in the opposite, direction. llius, as the valve (50' is shown adjusted, ro-

tation of the intermediate parts is permitted in a forward or countercloclrivise direction, The 'forward thrust of the piston, due to the action of the planeta ting gears, :is freely per mitted. As such thrust is applied, it causes the liquid which is in front of the piston to enter through the port 68 into the interior of the valve 6G, and from the valve through the aperture 73 into the space Gil Within the piston box 60. This oil. iliovv or pressure forces the port controlling piston 59 :forivardly, and, as lwill be understood from Fig. 7, this shifts the port sleeve 53 so as to open Widely the ports 55, 5ft, 56 and 57. Oil thereby being able 'freely to circulate from the annular space in frontof the piston through the interior on to the annular space behind the piston, the piston may advance praiztirally without resistance. A ny attempt, however, to thrust the piston rearwardly Vwill cause a reverse hydraulic action. Within the valve, which :in conjunction 'With the spring G5, Will cause an immediate closing `of the main ports, so that the intermediate parts are locked against reverse movement. When the valve 66 is adjusted in the opposite manner, the main ports act oppositely, opening only for a clockwise thrust of the intermediate parts and closing With an opposite thrust, so that only a reverse or clockwise rotation is possible. As already explained, a third piston adjustment renders the oil ci..- pablo of iiowing'freely :in either direction, thus releasing the intermediate and driven parts. A fourth adjustment prevents liquid llow in either direction, thus locking the intermediate and driven parts and serving as a brake.

The moving elements carried by the driving member or fiyvvheel, including the Weights 22, constitute a yielding or pulsating connection between the driving and driven members of such nature and arrangement that, as the driving member rotates, the connections operate to produce torque alternately in. opposite directions, When aeting in. one direction the driven parts are advanced, but owing to the liquid pavvl and ratchet, the opposite torque is not transmitted to the driven parts, but is throvvn baclr upon the driving member and thus con served. The action of the centrifugal connections may be described as comprising tivo phases, during one of vvhich the Weights are being displaced invvard or toward the center of the system against centrifugal force, and during the other of which the `Weights, having passed. their innermost position, travel outwardly under the influence of eenn trifugalv force. In the first phase the energy of the driving parts operating through the planetating gears, the rotation of which is strongly resisted by the centrifugal force of the Weights, operates to produce a torque which advances the driven member. The

retarded planetating gears, being carrierflv around with the .lywhceh carry around `with them the central gear and `the other intermediate parts, thus delivering eirergy into the reservoir spring. During the second phase the driven member, as stated, is held against reverse rotation, so that When the centrifugal weights have passed the apex of their movement and started outwardly at the opposite side, the centrifugal force thereoil", unable to operate upon the central gear, acts to apply the resulting torque to advance the driving member. The power not utilized is thus conserved, and eventually 'is transmitted to the driven parts at an in creased torque. The centrifugal Weigl'its carried by the driving parts, thus acting as a refiiiliently yielding :und 'reasserting device, might he replaced by analogous resilient devices having similar action and result Within the present invention. Thus, powerful springs might be substituted for the Weights, and in fact l have shown such an embodiment of the underlying principles of the present invention in a companion application, which may be referred to for a more full and complete description of principles and operation. In the present embodiment, as in said copcnding application, the first phase of action, or that in which the resilient device receives povver from the driving member and imparts power to the driven member, may be indefinitely prolonged, thus giv ing unit speed ratio. This condition comes about automatically when the torque re quiredv in the driven shaft is not greater than, but equals that delivered by the driving sha lt. -Frein this advantageous action it results that during normal road driving the mechanism is free from internal motion, and all the parts rotate as a unit. It is-only when the driven parts require a greater torque that the play of the internal mechanism taires place, and this results, as described, in a` sort of tempo 'ary conserving of the driving energy, which :is fractionally thrown into the driven member on alternate phases of action, and is thrown back through the resilient device into the iiyvvheel or driving member in the other phases, with the net result that the driven parts, rotating at a reduced speed ratio, possess the desired superior torque to meet the upgrade or other practica] conditions. The change of action of the meclmnism in these respects is auto matic, and hence the operator is enabled in proceed solely by the throttle, and the transmission from the engine to the vehicle Wheels controls itself in such Way that, as 'the load or resistance increases, the driven speed decreases, accompanied by an increase of driven torque. The reservoir spring is an important supplement to the mechanisms den scribed, but it might be located at various points between the vehicle Wheels and the intermediate part upon which the described resilient connections directly act. The socalled intermediate elements, rigidly connected and turning together, in reality constituter a driven part, which, however, is driven irregularly or intermittently, and the resorvoir spring renders even and smooth the transmission of'such drive to the final driven parts. The driving action on the vehicle wheels will be fairly uniform in view of the extent of'yield 'in the reservoir spring and the' frequency with which energy impulses are delivered into it.' Indeed, when driving at un it ratio, the secondpliase of action is' eliminated, andjpower is continually delivered to thel intermediate member and reservoir. At reduced ratios, the action will be intermittent, but each power imparting action may continue over two or three or more complete revolutions, whereas the intervening periods willbe' exceedingly brief, a halfjrevolution or less, during which the resilient' element' will be restoring to the driving 'arts the increased'power or torque. The' difilerence between the power received byftlieresilient element from the driving member andthe power restoredto the latterwill be the power consumedby the driven shaft.

The' novel transmitting means of this application is a combination including a specie one-way device, namely a hydraulic device as,V distinguished from a mechanical pawl and ratchet, and I do not herein make any underlying claims to the transmitting means,but only claims specific to a one-way devicel of ahydraulicnature; the underlying combination being claimed'in my copending pplieation Serial Numbers 364,897 filed .arch 11,' 1920'an'd 531,591`filed`January 25, 1,922.

It' will thus be yseen that I have described a variable speed transmission embodying the principles of the `present invention; and since many matters 4of combination, arrangement, designiand detail may be variously modified without: departing from the novel principles, it is not intended to limit the invention to suchmatters except in so far asv set'l forth in the appendedv claims.

VVhat'l is claimed is: I

l. A variable speed transmission apparatus comprising ink combination, a rotating y driving' member, a yielding and reasserting dev-ice'ccarried" on said driving member, a rotatable driven member, `andfa train of connections, between said device and the' driven member, including a one-way device controlling the same, whereby rotation is transmitted through said device, in one direction only, to the driven member; said oneway' device consisting of a hydraulic mecha- 'ni'smsubstantially as described whereiny the liquid flows'in one direction during forward rotation but is checked against reverse llow.

Transmission apparatus comprising in combination with the rotary driving and driven members, an intermediate member, an elastic connection from the intermediatel to the driven member, a yielding and reasserting device between the driving and intermediate members whereby power is imparted alternately in opposite directions, and a hydraulic control means substantially as described wherein the liquid flows .in one direction as power is transmitted in one direction but is checked with reverse of direction, to prevent reverse transmission.

3. Transmission as in claim 2, and where.- in the hydraulic means is cmitrollable in fiow atv will to determine the driving cli'ect on said intermediate member.

fl. Transmission as in claim 2, and wherein the hydraulic means contains valves adjustable at will to determine the action of said intermediate member.

5. Transmission as in claim 2, and wherein the hydraulic means contains valves adjustable at will todetermine the action of said intermediate member such that in one adjustment the intermediate member may advance but not reverse, and in another ad` justment it may rotate reversely but not advance.

(3. Transmission as in claim 2, and wherein the hydraulic means contains valves adjustable at willito determine the action of said intermediate member such that in one adjustment the intermediate member may advance but not reverse, and in another adjustment it may not rotate in either direction.

7. Transmission as in claim 2, and wherein the hydraulic means contains valves adjustable at will to determine the action of said intermediate member such that in one adjustment the intermediate membermay advance but not reverse, and in another adjustment it may rotate in either direction.

8. Apparatus as in claim 1 and wherein the hydraulic mechanism consists' of a rotated sleeve (27) having a projecting piston (28) travelling between the sleeve and an, outer fixed casing (33), the casing` having opposite gates 47, rotated to permit the piston to pass them alternately while keeping closed'the annular passage between the sleeve and casing.

9. A variable speed transmission apparatus comprising in combination, a rotating driving member, a yielding and reasserting device carried on said driving member, a.

rotatable driven member, and a train of connections, between said device and the driven member, inclilding a one-way device controlling the same, whereby rotation is transmitted'through said device, in one direction only, to the driven member, said one-way de- 'vice eoniprangif a plural ported rotary Sleeve earryuga piston, a easing' exterior to the Sleeve omining)` an annular space in which the pistou travels, gates preventing annular circulation of liquid in Said space, whereby the liquid forced by the piston will pass through a Sleeve port to the interior and thereilroin through a second port to a point behind the piston, and means for adjusting said ports.

l0. Apparatus as in claim 9 and wherein the port adjusting means consists of a ported shell within Said sleeve and means 'for relatively :uljuetiug it.

1l. Apparatus as in claim l() and wlieii`- in the shell adjusting means consists of an auxiliary piston, extending Within said first piston, and a liquid Valve, exteriorly eontrolled, for hydraulically governing the position of the auxiliary piston.

1n testimony whereof, I have aixed my signature hereto.

JOHN REEGE. 

